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In traditional African medicine, Ziziphus mucronata Willd. subsp. mucronata is used in the treatment of chronic cough, boils, toothache, rheumatism, diabetes, hypertension, snake bite, dysentery, sexually transmitted infections and many other diseases. The present study sought to explore the hepatoprotective potential of the ethyl acetate extract of the stem bark of Z. mucronata and its isolated component, betulinic acid (BA), using carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) to induce acute damage in Sprague-Dawley rats. Thirty-five (35) male Sprague Dawley rats, were divided into seven (7) treatment groups of five (5) rats per group. The in vitro hepatoprotective effect of BA on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) hepatoblastoma was also investigated at concentrations of 0.01, 0.1 and 1 μg/mL was investigated against paracetamol-mediated toxic induction. Treatment with the crude extract of Z. mucronata ethyl acetate and BA showed comparable results with rats treated with silymarin, significantly different (p < 0.05) from the induction control group in terms of reduction in serum aspartate, alanine amino transaminases, and alkaline phosphatase activities. Similarly a corresponding decrease in serum concentrations of cholesterol, total bilirubin, and triglycerides, as well as creatinine, uric acid, and urea, significantly (p < 0.05) different from the induction control was observed with our test samples. Rats co-administered with the crude extract or BA showed also increased glutathione (GSH) levels, catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and a concomitant decrease in malondialdehyde contents at a high dosage of crude extract or BA ethyl acetate, significantly (p < 0.05) different from untreated liver homogenates. The liver histology of the cotreatment groups revealed promising marked regeneration of the altered hepatocytes compared to the induction group. Furthermore, BA showed percentage protection of 7.77 %, 14.86 % and 17.78 %, comparatively at low concentrations with silymarin (34 %). Finally, molecular docking identified potential proteins, targeted by the isolated compound. The findings justify the crude extract of Z. mucronata stem bark ethyl acetate as complementary hepatoprotective agents and BA as the lead compound for the development of a potent hepatoprotective molecule.

Noroviruses constitute a significant aetiology of sporadic and epidemic gastroenteritis in human hosts worldwide, especially among young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised patients. The low infectious dose of the virus, protracted shedding in faeces, and the ability to persist in the environment promote viral transmission in different socioeconomic settings. Considering the substantial disease burden across healthcare and community settings and the difficulty in controlling the disease, we review aspects related to current knowledge about norovirus biology, mechanisms driving the evolutionary trends, epidemiology and molecular diversity, pathogenic mechanism, and immunity to viral infection. Additionally, we discuss the reservoir hosts, intra–inter host dynamics, and potential eco-evolutionary significance. Finally, we review norovirus vaccines in the development pipeline and further discuss the various host and pathogen factors that may complicate vaccine development.

Both Gossypium barbadense (GB) and Gossypium hirsitum (GH) are members of the Malvaceae family and the cotton genus. In order to reduce silver nitrate, aqueous extracts of both plants were used to synthesize biogenic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) (AgNO3). The techniques employed to describe them included X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometer. The AgNPs were found to be crystalline according to the XRD spectra, but TEM images showed that they were evenly distributed, free of aggregation, and in irregular shapes with an average size of 21 nm. Only silver, oxygen, and carbon were present in the nanoparticles, according to the SEM and EDX data. Both AgNPs have excellent antimalarial efficacy when tested in vitro with Plasmodium falciparum, with IC50 values of 1.2 and 0.96 g/mL, weak antitrypanosomal potentials, and a good track record of negligible cytotoxicity against the HeLa cell line. Both AgNPs exhibit potent antiplasmodial and antibacterial characteristics, making them intriguing candidates for use in nanomedicines and other contexts where related applications are needed. The aim of this study is to biogenically synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the aqueous leaf extracts of GB and GH, analyze their ability to target the HeLa cell line, and determine whether they have antimalarial and antitrypanosomal properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural products are being exploited in the treatment of diverse ailments stemming from microbial and free radical incursion in the African native societies. The current study was designed to elucidate the bioactive constituents, microbial growth and free radical inhibitory effects of Dennettia tripetalafmit, employing in vitro and in vivo models. Briefly, phytochemical analysis was qualitatively investigated. The free radical scavenging assays using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhdrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylenzoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical solutions using vitamin C as reference antioxidant. Antibacterial activity was carried out using agar diffusion well. Bioactive elucidation was conducted using Gas chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS). Liver protective effect of the extract was investigated on rats' model. Phytochemical analysis of the crude extracts (hexane and ethanol) revealed saponins, tannin, flavonoid, steroids, phenols and terpenoids. GC-MS analysis revealed various bioactive compounds. DPPH inhibitory effect of the hexane and ethanol extracts, displayed IC50 values, 3.86 and 4.01 µg/mL against a corresponding vitamin C (IC50 value, 0.007 µg/mL). Both extracts solution scavenged ABTS radical (IC50 values, 4.53 and 4.79 µg/mL) against vitamin C (IC50 values, 0.005 µg/mL). The extracts demonstrated promising antibacterial activities against eight selected multidrug-resistant strains, comprising Gram positive and negative strains. The crude extract protects liver induced carbontetrachloride toxic onslaught through significant (p < 0.05) increased in the catalase, superoxide dismutase activities, reduced glutathione and depleted malonedialdehyde levels in the rats' liver co-treatment groups. Overall, the findings suggest D. tripetela's leaf extract a promising antidote for the treatment of free radical and microbial, infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]